encourage thofe of youngest years, to offer their adorations to Jesus! It cannot be too foon for them to learn hofannas to his name. He will liften to them with peculiar delight, and consider himself honoured by their weak attempts. Perhaps, too, he may make ufe of them, to confound the wifeft and the ftrongest of his enemies. The common people, likewife, were much affected by the doctrines of Jefus. While he taught them daily in the temple, they crowded to hear him, and appeared to hang upon his words. In general, the lower orders have been found to yield a serious and eager attention to the Gospel; but the rich too frequently, poffeffing more pride and prejudice, turn away their ears in difdain. The Jewish rulers, continued to seek the destruction of Jefus; but their malice was restrained a few days longer. As he had fo many adherents among the poor, they were afraid of proceeding to any act of violence against him: nor could any of their efforts have at last fucceeded, except he had surrendered himself into their hands. The mournful history exhibits the strongest proofs of the defperate wickednefs of man: but it affords us, also, a pleafing representation of the grace of the Saviour, waiting to fhew mercy to his moft virulent oppofers. May we be constrained, by a fenfe of his great love, to drop all our perverfe objections to him, and yield ourselves unfeignedly to his difpofal! Thus may we be redeemed to God, and established "unblamable in holiness" through Jefus Chrift! Amen. JESUS JESUS CHRIST. SECT. 32. Jefus inftructed certain enquiring Greeks-warned the unbelieving Jews-curfed a barren fig-tree-confounded thofe, who questioned his authority-admonished them by the parable of the two fons, and by that of the vineyard, let to unfaithful husbandmen. A GENERAL Commotion was excited in Jerufalem by our Lord's fingular entrance into it, by the loud hofannas fung before him, and by the miracles, which he there publicly performed. Many perfons of different difpofitions came about him: fome fincere enquirers fought his inftructions; but a more numerous company opposed him with extreme malignity. He varied the manner of his addrefs, according to the cafes and characters of the people; and yet in every inftance he preferved the fame "meeknefs of wifdom." May his followers, and especially his minifters, learn from him to be "gentle unto all men,' as well as to be ready always to declare "the hope that is in them!" As the celebration of the paffover approached, a large concourfe of those, who profeffed to worship the God of Ifrael, was then affembled at Jerufalem, from all parts of Judea. Among the reft were certain pious Greeks, probably of Gentile extraction, who and conduct you to the knowledge of him, whose acquaintance you seek: nay, he himself waits to receive you. But, while you come to him, attend to his soJemn declarations. As he "hath fuffered for us in the flesh," you must "arm yourselves with the fame mind *,” and endure the crofs. Let it fuffice you, that, "if you fuffer, you fhall also reign with him †. Is this, what you object to? Do you determine to renounce the fervice of Chrift, because it will fubjec you to difficulties, and to gratify your own corrupt nature, which promifes you much prefent enjoyment? Ah! how unwife a choice, how unfair an eftimate, do you make! For Jefus holds out a crown of glory to his defpifed and oppreffed followers; but your carnal pleasures are momentary, and, if continued in, will be fucceeded by endless torment and despair. Our Lord, having adverted to his approaching fufferings, was deeply affected with the profpect of them; and, as if the terrors of death had fallen upon him, he cried out," Now is my foul troubled." He feemed, for a moment, confounded in the view, and `ready to petition, that he might be rescued from the crofs. But, whatever the weakness of human nature might fuggeft, he refolved not to fhrink from that, which was the grand object of his incarnation; and therefore he prayed only, "Father, glorify thy name." Immediately a voice from heaven declared, that the divine glory had already been secured, and would yet be more fignally difplayed, by his miniftry. While the astonished multitude wendered at the found, many of them not hearing the words diftinctly, Jefus remarked, that this teftimony was given, not for his fake, as he could want no further affurances of his Father's love, but for the confirmation of the faith of others. He then exulted in the confident expectation of the * Pet. iv. I. + 2 Tim. ii. 12. bleffed bleffed confequences, which would refult from his death. He affirmed the moment to be at hand, when by his interpofition the world fhould be delivered from the ufurped dominion of the Devil, and finners every where, of all ranks and characters, fhould be attracted by the view of his cross, to make application to him, and enlist themselves as faithful foldiers under his banner. This affords us an endearing representation of the Saviour. "He was oppreffed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth," in any peevifh complaints to God, or bitter invectives against man. Though he felt unutterable anguifh, he expreffed not the leaft impatience; for his only prayer, was, that. the honour of the divine name might be exalted, whatever he might endure. Here, then, is our pattern: we should refign ourfelves to the difpofal of God with the fame meeknefs and unreferved fubmiffion, and be more folicitous for his glory, than our own perfonal ease or security. Alas! how little have we learned Chrift!" This is fully evinced by our fretfulness, difcontent, and felfifhnefs, by our eager defire that our trials may be removed, rather than the intereft of religion promoted. Have we confidered, that it is one grand defign of the death of Chrift, to deliver us from all carnal affections, and from the power of darkness? Is Satan indeed caft out from the poffeffion of our hearts? Have we by faith beheld the Son of man "lifted up from the earth," and felt the conftraining influence of his cròfs? Are we, then, "drawn unto him," so as to acknowledge subjection, and vow allegiance, to him? Our Lord's intimation of his approaching diffolution was cavilled at by fome of the people, as inconfiftent with the fcriptural declarations of the perpetuity of Meffiah's office. But he, knowing their captious difpofition, exhorted them not to trifle away eir prefent opportunities of inftruction. He warned theim, |